Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway

Sixty-four degrees inside the T@B, at 8:30 AM, when I locked the door to drive North. Wednesday, November 18th: I didn't gas-up at Wal-Mart in Georgia because I know gas is cheaper in South Carolina. When I stopped at the SC Visitor's Center (at 9:15) I was encouraged to take State Route 11 toward Asheville. It's the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway but I was told "no towns along the route." So I burned up a lot of my remaining quarter-tank of gasoline trying to find a station. First: Fairplay where the pumps had been removed from the one-and-only (Marathon) station. It was raining quite hard (10:15) when I finally (at Townville) had a full tank of gasoline and was en route. I love the back roads; I hate the Interstates!! Indeed, it is a scenic route and I hope to visit the area again. Had I known, and planned ahead, I could have followed scenic routes to Cloudland and avoided the Interstates (and headaches!!).

Between 12:15 and 1:00 PM I stopped near a gas station and prepared my lunch. The previous night--at Wal-Mart--I bought a loaf of all-natural whole grain bread for $1.00. It was a mark-down on the discount bakery cart. I thought "yum yum" with tuna.... From home: bell peppers and a can of V-8. So, an inexpensive lunch and opportunity to get out of the driver's seat.

From SR 11 to US 25 to I-26 as I traveled toward Asheville, NC. When I crossed the Eastern Continental Divide (elevation: 2910), I was in very dense fog. Truthfully, for many miles before and after... I was in fog--or a cloud--and it was very difficult to see the highway!!

I love the Blue Ridge Parkway and pulled on to it for ten or fifteen miles en route to Panera, in Asheville. (Last summer I traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway both directions.) Frankly, that's the only way I know how to find Panera!! I have trouble finding my way around the spider-web of highways in Asheville!! ~~ From 3:15 until 7:30 PM, I was comfortably seated in Panera Bread, using free WiFi to check my e-mail messages and publish a blog. I had permission to spend the night in the parking lot of Panera. Robertson Griffith, General Manager of the Asheville Panera Bread, is an asset to the company!! Such a personable, hard-working young man!! ~~ Only a total of 168 miles traveled on Wednesday, November 18th.